Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to
vitamin A (including β-carotene) and maintenance of normal vision
(ID 4239, 4701), maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes
(ID 4660, 4702), and maintenance of normal hair (ID 4660) pursuant to
Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006[sup]1[/sup]
EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA)2, 3
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy
Słowa kluczowe:
Vitamin A
hair
health claims
mucous membranes
skin
vision
1. Charakterystyka żywności / składnika
The food constituent that is the subject of the health claims is vitamin A (including β-carotene as a precursor of vitamin A) which is a well recognised nutrient. It is measurable in foods by established methods.
The term vitamin A describes a group of lipid soluble compounds related metabolically to all-trans-retinol. In the diet, vitamin A is found in products of animal origin as retinyl esters, mainly retinyl palmitate. Other esters (oleate, stearate, myristate), and retinol contribute to the dietary vitamin A intake. Some carotenoids (α- and β-carotenes, β-cryptoxanthine) can be cleaved into retinol, via an enzymatic process in the small intestine. Retinoic acids are considered as the molecular species responsible for all the functions attributed to vitamin A, with the exception of vision, where only retinal is the active agent (SCF, 2002). Recent studies reported that the conversion efficiency of dietary β-carotene is in the range of 10 to 28:1 by weight. As a result the US Food and Nutrition Board revised the estimated efficiency conversion factor for the conversion of dietary β-carotene to vitamin A from 6:1 by weight to 12:1 by weight. However, this conversion ratio should be regarded as temporary and could change as more data become available (Tang, 2010).
Different forms of vitamin A are authorised for addition to foods and for use in food supplements (Annex II of the Regulation (EC) No 1925/20066 and Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC7). This evaluation applies to vitamin A naturally present in foods and those forms authorised for addition to foods and for use in food supplements (Annex II of the Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 and Annex II of Directive 2002/46/EC).
The Panel considers that the food constituent, vitamin A (including β-carotene as a precursor of vitamin A), which is the subject of the health claims is sufficiently characterised.
2. Znaczenie oświadczenia dla zdrowia człowieka
2.1. Utrzymanie prawidłowego wzroku (ID 4239, 4701)
The claimed effects are “le beta-carotène est transformé par l'organisme en vitamine A qui joue un rôle dans la vision” and “vision”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal vision has already been assessed with a favourable outcome (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009).
2.2. Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu skóry i błon śluzowych (ID 4660, 4702)
The claimed effects are “precursor for vitamin A (which deficiency in organism leads to hair loss and teguments damage)” and “structure and function of the skin and mucous membranes (such as in the lung, intestines, nose, eyes and female reproductive tract)”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes has already been assessed with a favourable outcome (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009).
2.3. Utrzymanie prawidłowego stanu włosów (ID 4660)
The claimed effect is “precursor for vitamin A (which deficiency in organism leads to hair loss and teguments damage)”. The Panel assumes that the target population is the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal hair has already been assessed with an unfavourable outcome (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), 2009) and the references cited for this claim did not provide any additional scientific data that could be used to substantiate the claim.
Wnioski
On the basis of the data presented, the Panel concludes that:
The food constituent, vitamin A (including β-carotene as a precursor of vitamin A), which is the subject of the health claims is sufficiently characterised.
Maintenance of normal vision (ID 4239, 4701)
The claimed effects are “le beta-carotène est transformé par l'organisme en vitamine A qui joue un rôle dans la vision” and “vision”. The target population is assumed to be the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal vision has already been assessed with a favourable outcome.
Maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes (ID 4660, 4702)
The claimed effects are “precursor for vitamin A (which deficiency in organism leads to hair loss and teguments damage)” and “structure and function of the skin and mucous membranes (such as in the lung, intestines, nose, eyes and female reproductive tract)”. The target population is assumed to be the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes has already been assessed with a favourable outcome.
Maintenance of normal hair (ID 4660)
The claimed effect is “precursor for vitamin A (which deficiency in organism leads to hair loss and teguments damage)”. The target population is assumed to be the general population.
A claim on vitamin A and maintenance of normal hair has already been assessed with an unfavourable outcome and the references cited for this claim did not provide any additional scientific data that could be used to substantiate the claim.
